Times are tough, the economY is in in the dumps, jobs are slowing down, and by the time this goes to press the price of gas could be up again. It's a total crapshoot as to where the world will be in the next 30 days. But that doesn't mean it's time to nail shut the windows, sell your truck, and hide in your basement. We're here to offer you some options. The way we see it, you have three choices: Ignore your 4x4, buy stuff for your 4x4, or figure out some cheap or free upgrades. Since we're not suggesting the first option, we decided to help you with the second two. These upgrades will help you get ready to go wheeling, get down the trail, and make it home in one piece. Plus the free upgrades will save you money, and those that cost something will help both you and the economy by pumping in some important fun and funds. So soak up these tips, tricks, and wicked widgets to get you out of the basement and out there wheeling.
1. The Ultimate Puncture Kit
We're hard on tires and have probably made more trail repairs than a small army. This affordable puncture-repair kit is the most extensive setup we've run across. The kit contains enough supplies to repair punctures, tears, and broken valve stems on tires of all sizes, multiple times. Everything is also packed into this neat-looking safari-style zippered bag. Information: Extreme Outback Products, 866.447.7711, www.extremeoutback.com
2. Recharge Remedy
Many of the spiral cell Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) filled batteries are well known in the off-road scene for their no-leak, vibration-resistant, mount-anywhere ability, but many features about them are misunderstood. For example, this style battery has very low internal resistance, which is great for getting all the power to the terminals, but it also allows them to trickle down to very low voltage if left installed in a vehicle with key-off electrical loads. If unhooked and stored fully charged, an AGM battery (such as an Optima) will hold a higher voltage than a conventional battery. However, if your 4x4 has an alarm, clocks, or radio memory settings, you should simply disconnect the battery or use a low-amperage desulfation battery maintainer if it's going to be parked for months. If you have a spiral cell or any AGM that seems dead, don't send it in for warrantee replacement just yet. First hook it in parallel to a known good battery and then put it on a battery charger. Because of the low internal resistance it could have simply dropped below the voltage required for some newer chargers to recognize, and the battery may have some sulfation buildup. You'll need the second battery to trick the charger into staying on until the assumed dead battery takes a charge. This process is one of the best manual methods of reconditioning almost any sulfated battery.
3. Plug It
A sound investment for any wheeler is a good set of spark plugs. Relatively cheap and easy to install, you can pick up a set of XP Xtreme Performance spark plugs from Autolite at most automotive retailers. While you are there it might be a good time for a new set of plug wires as well. Information: Autolite, www.autolite.com
4. Gettin' the Kinks Out
Rock magnets-er, tie rods-always seem to take their fair share of abuse. After a day on the trail yours might look more like a paperclip. The easiest fix is to run your winch cable around the axle, hook to the tie rod, and pull it straight. The trick is to use a couple locking pliers on each side of the winch hook to keep it from sliding to one side or the other when the winch cable is under tension.
5. Groovin'
One of the most painful things to watch is someone cutting up a brand-new set of tires. Some wheelers cut tiny grooves into the tires to help gain traction in the rocks, while others go as far as cutting out entire lugs in hopes of gaining performance in the mud. There are a few aftermarket tools made specifically for tire grooving, but we've see guys use everything from angle grinders to Sawzalls to chop up their rubber into custom creations.
6. Fram Bam
It seems elemental, but too often guys neglect their air filters. Now we know not all of you want to spring for a full intake kit, but when you can pick up a wide variety of Fram drop-in air filters for less than a cheap meal for two, you really don't have any excuse. So save your engine and a little fuel economy! Information: Fram, www.fram.com
7. Synthetic Protection
These Delrin Viking rollers are designed for use with synthetic winch lines and are an economical approach to replacing the factory galvanized rollers. The high-strength Delrin is abrasion- and heat-resistant and has a smooth surface to protect your synthetic winch line. The rollers are 68 percent lighter than galvanized rollers. Information: Winchline.com, 818.506.9789, www.winchline.com
8. C2-JK
Engineered to strengthen the inner axle Cs on the '07-to-present Jeep Wrangler JKs, the C2 axle gussets from Off Road Evolution are a great addition for JK owners running 35-inch or taller tires. Made of 3/16-inch steel and designed to work with both the Dana 30 and Dana 44 axles, the laser-cut and CNC-bent gussets weld right in place. Information: Off Road Evolution, 714.870.5515, www.offroadevolution.com
9. Enlightened
Times are tough, so head on over to your local Dollar Tree or 99-cent Store (whatever's in your area), and cruise the aisles for some inexpensive solutions to help prepare for your next wheeling trip. For three bucks we bought a small LED push light, some adhesive magnet strips, and batteries to make a wheeler's work light. We didn't want to stick the light to the truck permanantly, so we stuck it to the magnet strips instead. Now whenever we need to perform a little night-run maintenance out in the boonies, we have a light that will stick magnetically wherever we need illumination...making the sun shine where it don't!
10. Better Than Superglue
It is true. Zip ties really can fix anything. On a recent outing we were having problems keeping the locking hubs from falling apart and falling off our '99 Ranger. Out of spares and not wanting to go home, we devised this plan to keep the hubs on the truck using nothing but zip ties. It worked and we kept wheeling. So remember this: Zip ties truly can fix anything. Always keep a stash in your truck!